Pupils of Starlight Academy are celebrating as a record number of their dances have made it through the rigorous auditions and secured places at the highly acclaimed Dance World Cup Finals being held in Spain in the summer.
Principal and Team Organiser Mel Hadfield-Walker from Addingham explains:
"We are incredibly thrilled to announce that our fabulous dancers have again qualified for Dance World Cup Finals (DWC), which this year will be held in Burgos, Spain Summer 2025. This will be our 5th year representing Team England and we are super excited to be competing. Previous years have seen us come home as world champions in Ballet, Acro and Song & Dance as well as medals in multiple other genres.
“My dancers are training extremely hard and alongside teachers Christine Cade and Sylvia Cullen I am excited to be creating new and innovative pieces for them to perform. This achievement is testament to the pure dedication, hard work, talent, and passion our dancers and teachers exude.”
The intense competition attracts around 10,000 finalists across the globe and is often referred to as the Olympics of dance.
The performers are delighted to be representing England, but also Leeds and the towns and villages of Guiseley, Yeadon, Menston, Ilkley, Silsden, Burley-in-Wharfedale and Addingham. The news has created quite a buzz and the team are delighted to be receiving support from their local communities.
At Starlight Academy the ethos has always been simple, 'a place where every child gets the chance to shine', whether a pupil wishes to dance as a hobby, or continue professionally with a career in the arts.
Starlight's tenacious teachers recollect the most memorable moments of last year's competition:
"2024 in Prague we achieved brilliant success - being awarded the title of World Champions in ballet was without a doubt the highlight! Seeing the girls waving the giant England flags whilst singing the national anthem on a global stage was a moment that will stay with us all forever. We look forward to making this trip as fantastic as we possibly can - it is so well deserved!"
The hard-working pupils will embark on a range of fundraising activities from supermarket bag packing to online auctions using prizes generously donated within the community. If you wish to donate a prize or would like to learn about the various sponsorship opportunities, please contact the team on starlight.academy08@gmail.com